A black man seen in police dash cam video being dragged from his car and beaten by white officers in suburban Detroit has taken a lie detector test to clear his name — and he passed, local NBC station WDIV reported Tuesday.
Floyd Dent, whose treatment by Inkster, Michigan, police during his Jan. 28 arrest sparked outrage after the video was released, said he volunteered for the test, which was conducted by a former police officer and polygraph expert.
"I want to take one just to let everybody know, the public and everything, that I'm honest and telling the truth," Dent, 57, said.
Police said Dent threatened to kill officers after he was arrested after allegedly trying to flee from a police car that night. Dent denies making any threatening comments.
A judge dismissed all charges stemming from the physical altercation after WDIV obtained the dash cam video. One count of possession of cocaine remains. The officers said they found crack cocaine in Dent’s car, but the 37-year Ford Motor Co. worker with no criminal record says the drugs were planted.
In the lie detector test, Dent was asked whether he verbally threatened the officers in any way; whether the officers are correct that he threatened to kill them; if the police are correct that he had crack cocaine in his vehicle; and if Dent was lying about the drugs. He answered "No," to each question, and passed the test, WDIV reported.
In the video, Dent is heard saying, "Why you beating on me like this?" after he was thrown onto a police cruiser. The officers' microphones were either turned off or not working when he allegedly threatened them.
Inkster Police Chief Vicky Yost told reporters Thursday that state police are investigating the arrest. The officers have been put on administrative duty.
IN-DEPTH
- Man Beaten by Inkster Police Aces Polygraph Test (WDIV)
- Detroit-Area Cops Shown Beating Black Man During Traffic Stop